Don't cut my trees......... Elder Abuse True Story

My staff called in panic. Georgia was having a meltdown. She would not let the gardeners do their job.  "I do not want to see the house in the back, it is disrespectful".




Georgia has Alzheimer's. There was no gardener and no, the trees were not being cut. Georgia has very short term memory, while her long term memory is very intact. Interestingly she remembers my name, even though I met her only 3 years back.



Georgia was going through an unfortunate time when I first met her. She has recently been victim of an elder abuse. When she needed some help at home, she talked to her friends and neighbors. As always someone knows someone and Virginia came to work with Georgia.



Virginia was quick to make friends with Georgia and within 2 months she moved in to live with Georgia. Often Virginia's son used to come to stay the weekends too. The neighbors got used to seeing them on the property and everything was going on smoothly.  Well Virginia was more than just helpful.



Virginia started helping Georgia paying her bills. Virginia would write the check for Georgia to sign. Georgia was very trusting and soon she had complete access to Georgia's bank account. The bank manager too was seeing Virginia regularly that he too did not see anything wrong going on.



Of course there was lot going on. Virginia would make small checks payable to herself and would get Georgia to sign. No one realized except Virginia that Georgia was losing her memory. Georgia was single and had no immediate relatives. Only her friends and neighbors knew that she existed. Soon Virginia started signing the checks herself.  Not many are aware of this but the banks do not verify signatures of small value checks.



Unknown to Virginia, Georgia had a distant nephew, Dan, who lived in Ohio. He was monitoring funds of his aunt. He started to see higher amounts of withdrawal in the last several months and he started to worry. Dan decided to investigate and to his dismay he found that Georgia was missing  about $175 k from her savings. He reported to police and soon Virginia and her son was arrested.



The court finally settled the case, Virginia will be required to pay $25 per month till all the amount stolen is refunded !!!.  Well that takes about 583 years to finish paying off the debt.



Well, we live in a society where when Justin Beiber eggs his neighbors 15 Sheriffs come down heavy to get to the bottom of the case. Whereas when defenseless seniors are robbed off their nest egg, the law looks in the other direction.  We have become a society that is more supportive of criminals and their hardships than a well standing citizen who has worked hard for their living.



If Elder abuse is to be taken seriously, we need new laws and we need to enforce the laws. Without which we will only be paying lip service to a problem that is already $2.6 Billion big and growing rapidly.

"Alzheimer's starts in your childhood"

"Alzheimer's starts in your childhood" Dr. Fortanasce was speaking to a packed hall. In all honesty, I jumped out of my skin when I heard this. Dr. Fortanasce was hosting this free seminar that helps us understand about what we can do, to change our lifestyles, to avoid getting the dreaded Alzheimer's disease. " Clinical studies have shown that 42% of the world's Alzheimer's population is in US". So the question is is it diet? or is it in our genes?

Dr. Fortanasce went in to details of our diet and compared diet of people from other nations. "Chinese don't drink as much wine as we do. Is that why they don't get Alzheimer's?  Wait a minute, Italians drink ten times more than what we Americans do, yet they don't have as many cases of Alzheimer's as we do".  Okay this was getting interesting.  How about Genes? Is it that we Americans are having it in our genes?  "Japanese living in America is having more chances of Alzheimer's than born and raised Japanese living in Japan".  Okay, I am confused. Is it the air we breathe? or the water we drink? Or is it because we live in our cars more than in our home.


"It is our lifestyle. Today's lifestyle rides on stress, bad diet, excessive TV, lack of sleep etc etc. We disturb our natural equilibrium and all these have a telling effect on our system. Alzheimer's is a direct effect of us abusing our own system". Our body needs nourishing and balanced diet. Our body also needs exercise, rest and relaxation. Our brain is like iron. If you don't use it it will rust.

Serotonin, Melatonin, and Sleep

In "The Secrets of Serotonin," Carol Hart explains that serotonin has a close relationship to the body's sleep-wake cycle. Serotonin levels are highest in the brain stem when you are awake and active, and almost completely absent when we enter REM sleep, the deepest stage of sleep. During sleep, the body's level of melatonin rises sharply. The production of melatonin is dependent on its synthesis in the pineal gland, which is powered by serotonin. While light increases the production of serotonin, darkness spurs on the synthesis of melatonin. Paired together, these two neurotransmitters are key in maintaining the sleep cycle.

Hart notes that anything that disrupts the rhythm of serotonin and melatonin production will disturb the natural sleep cycle. When you suffer from jet lag, for instance, your serotonin production cycle follows that of your home time zone and has trouble getting on track. During the winter, when sunlight inadequately triggers the production of serotonin, sleep cycles can also be interrupted.(source, http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5179940_serotonin-affect-sleep_.html)

Science Daily reported in 2002 that research completed at the Brain and Behavior Institute at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands found that depletion of tryptophan and serotonin "appears to impair memory and learning." The depletion of serotonin with age may increase the likelihood of diseases that affect the memory, such as dementia and Alzheimer's. (Source :-  http://www.livestrong.com/article/129580-serotonin-aging/ )

While light increases the production of Serotonin, darkness increases the production of melatonin. There should be a healthy balance between the twoo, not a situation of one more than the other. Watching late night TV shows and then getting up in the morning and rushing off to work is typical lifestyle in US. This contributes to  increasing  chances of getting Alzheimer's.

"35% of people who eat bread at a restaurant are more likely to go for the dessert. When it is time for dessert, desert the place" There was few laughter around the room. "When you go for a hamburger, what do you eat first? Fries? Studies shows that by eating carbs first, your ghrelin level goes up creating a craving for carbs and we consume more carbs than our body needs. Red Wine is good for you" I was happy to hear that. What tickled me the most was the picture of the evolution of man. We are all familiar with the ones from apes to neanderthal. This time there was one after the neanderthal, which was a fat sloppy modern man with a jar of soda in his hand. This way more than funny, little do we realize how we harm ourselves.   Speaking of diet, Dr. Fortanasce, gave us sufficient information on what to avoid and what is good for you.

"Do you know which three profession has the highest probability of getting Alzheimer's?"  Dr. Fortanasce was on a roll. "Doctors. Lawyers and policemen" He was looking around the room for agreement. " Do you see the reason? What do these professions have in common?  STRESS". I raised my hand from the back of the room " Doctor, can you add a fourth group, for Small Business Owners?" . The whole room burst out laughing. The talk by Dr. Fortanasce was very useful. I must admit that I learned a lot. Dr. Fortanasce is the author of the book "The Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription". It is a great book and I highly recommend this reading.

Dr. Fortanasce encourages D.E.A.R program as a way to prevent Alzheimer's disease. D.E.A.R stands for Diet, Exercise, Accentuate your brain reserve, Rest & relaxation. I learned a lot about the diet and the exercises that we should be doing. The lecture series continues every Tuesday and it would be wonderful for anyone with interest to participate.

Okay guys, I plan to go home now, it is almost 8:00 PM. I need my food, exercise and rest to star tomorrow with  fresh energy. Good night everyone.

Alzheimer's Care Giving

"What makes a good care giver for Alzheimer's"?  Dan was curious to hear about what made our services special. Dan's wife Lisa is suffering from Alzheimer's and they have been trying several agencies without much success. " My wife prefers to sleep in all the time and it is not good for her health. She needs to go out a bit more and also eat better. Right now the appetite is not there and she is losing weight".

Dan's concern is legitimate. The caregivers right now sit and watch the TV, because his wife is sleeping. " This is ridiculous. Isn't there a better way?". "Of course there is a better way" I told Dan. The most important thing to realize with Alzheimer's patients is that there are no standardized approaches that would work for all Alzheimer's cases. Each case is a unique case and the care plan has to be developed customized to work for that client. It may or may not work for the next client. Also the approach has to be one of constant improvement.

Caring for Alzheimer's and Dementia clients can be quite unlike caring for any other type of situations. A patient rehabilitating from surgery or muscular dystrophy etc are all capable of thinking and understanding. They can have good communication with you and understand your conversations. They can also tell what they need and what they don't. However, in the case of Alzheimer's clients, the caregiver has to do the thinking. Alzheimer's clients are like children and the caregiver becomes the parent.

Alright, Care giving for Alzheimer's is not just a regular care giving job. There are some unique approaches that helps in caring for Alzheimer's clients.

Creativity

In many situations verbal communications does not get very far with Alzheimer's clients. Clara, one of my client's wife recently asked me to take her husband Paul to the doctor's office. Paul has been very challenging to handle, he does not understand any verbal communication. The nurse at the doctor's office asked Paul to sit on the hospital bed. Paul was not getting it. They tried several ways to get Paul on the bed. No luck. I then jumped up on the bed like a kid and started bouncing up and down like a kid, "hey Paul, want to try this?". Paul could see this was a lot of fun and he to jumped up on the bed. Next the nurse wanted to get his BP and Paul would not the girl touch her. I rolled up my arm showing off my biceps and Paul instantly did the same. Nurse could now take his BP, making it look like she was checking out his muscles. Here standard verbal communication did not work. But they can mimic your actions.

Change of scene, Nancy's dad has been driving away all the caregivers she hired for him. I covered this under my previous blog " I don't need a nanny". here the difference was the dad does not know the caregiver as a nanny or a caregiver. He thinks she is someone he knows and she is there to hang out with him. So the approach has to be constantly creative. Look for things that will connect with your Alzheimer's clients and develop from there. Don't be stuck to a standard approach.

Take Charge
When the caregiver for Nancy's dad meets him, she would immediately take over. "Fred, are you ready to go on our lunch date", would be her opening conversation. She would take charge of the situation right away and orchestrate the activities. Remember, you are able to think and act and your Alzheimer's clients depends on your thinking ability. Take charge and please do not wait to be told what needs to be done.

Enthusiasm

Smile a lot and that brightens up your clients face and her demeanor. Show enthusiasm and drive to be there. In my experience, I have seen the Alzheimer's clients are very perceptive. They may not be able to express it, but it certainly reflects in how they connect with you or responds to you. Enthusiasm sends out a positive vibe and I have seen in most cases than not, they respond positively to it.

Patience
You will need a lot of patience. Many communication may be repetitive and in circulatory mode. Owing to their reduced information retention capacities, they are bound to repeat their questions or conversations. Don't be offended, it has nothing to do with you. It is a function of the disease they are going through. Also there are no rules of conduct that your Alzheimer's client is going to remember. We have have the patience to start the conversation all over again and again.

Endurance
Let us be honest. Caregiving for Alzheimer's clients can be very taxing. You need to have good endurance skills. So make sure you rest well and you have fun doing what you are doing. If you ignore your health, there is only so much you can do to help someone with Alzheimer's.

Love & Compassion
Caring for Alzheimer's clients is like parenting. Your words and action has to come from a high point of love and compassion. Trust me, you are doing god's work taking care of Alzheimer's clients. If you are the chose one to provide care, you are already better than most people.

Have a good night folks and thanks for reading my blog. If you have any feedback, I will be delighted to receive them.

Warm Regards
Sam

"I DON'T NEED A NANNY"

"Sam, my dad does not know I am talking to you. I am not sure how to approach this, but we think he needs help. However, he refuses any help. He says that he does not need any nanny to look after him." Nancy used the tissues on my table to dab the tears. "Dad loves to do things around the home. He does not need any help there.  But he is very lonely. He needs to go out more and he cannot drive"

It is rude to say I have heard this conversations several times from different family members over a period of time. Nancy was choking with emotions and the situation was very real for her. Always this  question comes up about how to convince your parent. Honest answer to that is that there is no standard response to it. We have to see each as a unique case and develop our response.

"Nancy, we do not provide nannies" I said.  There was a curious look on Nancy's face, like did I come to the wrong place? " Tell me more about your dad so that I can develop the best approach to help your dad". During our conversation we developed a game plan. Our caregiver will be introduced as a friend of Nancy's. She will come in and take dad out for walks, movies shopping etc. Nancy liked the idea immediately.

I have heard it too many times that in the west, people abandon their parents. NOT TRUE. What I have seen here is no different than what I have experienced in other parts of the world. The offspring here are as concerned here about their parents as they are  in other parts of the world. They hurt to see their parents suffer, many go to great lengths to keep their parents healthy in their own home.

Earlier this week I met with a son who was completely emotional when we spoke of his parents. They needed care and cash was tight. Yet the son was willing to go to any lengths to provide care. During our conversation we found out that his dad was a Korean War Veteran. I asked him if his dad is getting A&A benefits. The son was not aware of it. So we helped them start the processing for A&A. On the way out, I kissed his mom's hands. I could see she was crying and thanked me profusely for treating her so humanely.

Okay guys, this is the last blog from me for this year. I promise to write again only next year. Have a safe new year everyone and let us welcome 2011. Yeah, it is going to be a great year.

I am thankful for.......... in 2010

As we approach the end of the year, it is always a good time to take a look back and see how far we have come, what to be thankful for and who to thank for everything. It feels like a cleaning service that we can do to our mind, make it fresh to start the new year with fresh energy and fresh perspective.

I have found this approach useful for many reasons. It is like doing new shopping all the time, while we do not put away the ones that should be removed. In effect we start hoarding things, new items coming in while the old one still remains. However, we rarely think about doing the same approach to our life, our mind. so let us take a moment to reflect on what went right, how can we be thankful to what we could accomplish in the year completed.

Recently I was attending a Geriatric Care Manager's conference. In one of the breakout sessions, there was a question about how we manage stress. AS GCMs, as care giving professionals and as professionals associated with providing care, we absorb a lot of stress that goes on in our clients life. This is only natural, the client sees us as someone whom they can open their heart to, share their problems and concerns. It is a gift that we can offer this to our seniors. However, as a result we absorb much of this stress and unless we learn how to handle this, it could affect our health. The speaker suggested a simple solution. Each night before she goes to bed, she meticulously writes down 10 things she is thankful for, in the day. It took a while for me to hit home on the impact of this suggestion. This was brilliant.

When we take a moment to be thankful, we are displacing in our mind "what went wrong" with "what went right". Human nature is such that we all ponder over issues, we search for solutions. And if we cannot find solutions or not happy with the options, unconsciously our mind keeps roaming, searching for better alternatives. similar is the situation when we had disagreeable situations during the day. We continue to be irked about it and play out scenarios in our mind.  In short, we are not giving it any rest. Mind, like our body needs rest to recharge.

When we express our thankfulness, we are shifting our mind to more positive aspects of the day or the year. Our anxiety level comes down when we are able to appreciate the goodness in our daily lives. We tend to look at cup half full, not half empty.  So friends, let us take a simple step of reflecting on the good things that happened to us during the year. Free our mind of worries and approach the new year with energy, love and enthusiasm. Have a great night everyone.

Respite Care for family caregivers

"I did not expect to go down like this. I am in a bind now, my wife is not keeping good health and I am not able to take care of her or myself",  Paul (not his real name) was sharing his frustration with me. I met Paul at a nursing home. The nursing home has declared that Paul is ready to go home, even though he cannot even move his own wheel chair for ten feet.

Paul has been taking care of his wife for about 7 years now. His wife, Andrea (not her real name) is a stroke victim and has one side completely paralyzed. Paul has been keeping good health and hence did not consider taking any help. Everything was going fine till recently when after returning from a doctor visit, Paul collapsed. He has been in hospitals and nursing homes for the last few weeks. He is very worried about the wellbeing of his wife and now himself too.

We come across several such instances. As family caregiver, the stress builds up progressively and  cumulatively. The family caregiver often associates guilt, when considering some form of help. They feel guilty and feel it is their  responsibility to provide care. Here is what we would normally tell someone like Paul.

You cannot be the husband, father and caregiver
You have the best intentions. However, you are as human as anyone else is, maybe a better human. However, if you try to do everything, progressively this would affect and ruin your health. Are you prepared for a day when you both will need care-giving? You should continue to be the husband and the dad and should consider getting some care-giving help. Getting some help now can avoid getting a lot of help later on.

Start with Respite Care

Paul, choose a day in the week where your wife can be taken care of by a care giver. Use this day to relax, and get your things done. Go out and do your stuff. Your wife will be well taken care of. Recently we were taking care of Janet for about 45 days when her daughter was away on vacation. Janet sends her daughter away on vacation every year as she has been the primary caregiver for her mom for several years. Janet sent her daughter on a world cruise, while we took care of Janet.

Consider few hours of help in a day
Try getting few hours of help every day. Remember out of the 24 hours in a day, you are still the primary care giver. Care giving services are there only for 20-30% of the time? You are still taking care of your wife for the rest of the time.

No Guilt Please
You should not have s sense of guilt that you are not doing enough. This often is the case. You are doing more than what others would normally do. More importantly, you are not the reason for your wife's poor health.
Hence there should be no reason for you to feel guilty about taking care of your self. In reality this is a pure act of love. You are taking care of yourself to take better care of your wife.


Always remember, stitch in time saves nine. You can contact me if you need help. I am just a phone call away at 626-639-0226

Loneliness and Seniors

Of all forms of diseases and problems that man faces, loneliness is the worst. Loneliness can lead to both physical and psychological illness. Back in 2008, US News published a great article about "Why Loneliness is Bad for Your Health".http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2008/11/12/why-loneliness-is-bad-for-your-health.html. Loneliness results in social and physical issues like alcoholism, blood pressure, stress, cardiovascular disease etc.


In the senior care industry, we often find that companion care is about 70% of the service needs. Mary Ann, a client of mine (not the real name), calls me at least 4-5 times a day. She always calls to talk about some problem or the other. However, the truth of the matter is that there are no real problems that needs to be addressed. So than what is the problem that we are trying to solve? It is loneliness. Mary Ann calls to connect with me, in some ways I am her life line.When she comes on the line, she stays with me for about an hour. Bless her heart, she just needs to talk to someone.

The feeling is felt more acutely during the holiday season. The media highlights all the fun and warmth of companionship, the joy of giving and sharing. Seniors who are lonely find this the hardest of all the seasons. Mark (not the real name), another client of mine asked me where I am with my Christmas shopping. He lingered on a bit longer to add that he is not doing any shopping this time. He does not have any known friend, relative or kids. I met Mark, when he was getting discharged from a nursing home. "Son, I am going home to die" were the first words he said. Mark had a very successful life and he lived his life to the fullest. Never married and he has outlived all his friends and family.

There are things that we can do to improve this situation. To start with we can all connect with one senior in our community. Visit them, share some time with them, bring them a nice wine or something appropriate. I cam across another excellent article about seniors and loneliness in this holiday season,"Adults and Seniors Combating Loneliness This Holiday Season", http://www.articlesbase.com/elderly-care-articles/adults-and-seniors-combating-loneliness-this-holiday-season-3835088.html. Companionship is priceless and we need to realize that we are all rich in our resources to provide companionship. Make a difference in one life, that is all it takes.  Have a great holiday season everyone.

EMERGENCIES ARE NOT PLANNED ACTIVITIES

 Of course, who does not know that!!  However, how many of us are panned to face emergencies when it happens? "Great emergencies and crises show us how much greater our vital resources are than we had supposed." ... William James.  Could not have said better. It is when we pass through emergencies, that we realize how deep our resources are and also who we can rely on. If it were not for emergencies in life one would not know their strength and weaknesses.


It was about 10:00 pm when I got the call from the Executive Director of a RCFE. "Sam, I need a caregiver like 1 hour back. Can you get me one?" To start with I really appreciate the fact that she called me, that shows her confidence in me. Now I am under pressure to perform. Sally's resident needed immediate care and she was on the phone just when I was ready to hit the bed. "Emergencies have always been necessary to progress. It was darkness which produced the lamp. It was fog that produced the compass. It was hunger that drove us to exploration. And it took a depression to teach us the real value of a job"......Victor Hugo.

Necessity is the mother of invention and for that same reason, I decided to make it happen. Within 30 minutes the situation was resolved and everyone was happy. The caregiver was fantastic, they asked us for more services.

Let us get back on track on our discussions. How many of us plan for emergencies? How many of us develop support systems?  I am not talking about just insurance policies her, but the whole idea about planning for tomorrow. When communities develop plan on emergencies, very often the elderly and the disabled are not kept in perspective. I read a very nice article that I want to share here on Disaster Planning on Elderly and Disabled. http://ezinearticles.com/?Disaster-Planning-for-the-Elderly-and-Disabled&id=5212666

Good night every one. Today was a very good day for me and I hope it has been for all of you. I hope you all wake up bright and sparkling to carry through the rest of the day. God bless.

Home Care Services for Long Term Care Insurance in Arcadia-CA

"I felt like pulling my hair out " Molly said about her frustrations trying to get the claim processed with her LTCI company. "They won't pay" Molly has been trying for the last 6n years to get claims processed for her husband. Both Molly and her husband had excellent LTCI with no benefit cap, with inflation protection. "It is an excellent policy" her friend Jeff said. Jeff is also an insurance agent who also sells LTCI. "Is there anything you can do to hep Molly? They are such a wonderful family".

Molly husband suffered a stroke and unfortunately for him, his one side has been paralyzed for the last several years. For 6+ years, Molly tried everything she knew to get the insurance company to accept the claim and start paying benefits. Molly tried 3 different agencies and each time the insurance company rejected the claim. Molly ended up paying the agencies out of pocket and eventually she had to cancel their services. Molly became the principal and the only care giver.

When we got involved, we realized that the insurance companies were not being difficult. There were details to the process that needed to be taken care of. We were able to start the services within 15 days and has been servicing the client since then. Another client Maria had a different story to share. Her husband has advanced stages of Alzheimer's and she too was facing problems getting the claims processed. She had changed 5 agencies before they came to us. " No agency was willing to do the processing on our behalf", said Maria. "You can deal with your insurance company and our agreement is with you". I have come across several such cases whether there is benefit assignment or not.   Maria was close to tears when we said we will do the insurance processing for her and the service is complimentary. "God bless you" is all she could manage to say.

I thought about putting this in my blog today as today was a very good day. I got the approval for claim for yet another client who thought they were not even eligible for the benefit. This was a particularly challenging case. However, we have been very fortunate that the insurance companies have always worked positively with our approach.

We we decided to structure our offerings, we kept the customer in mind. LTC insurance, unlike any other insurance, the benefits are needed when you not in the best physical health. It is a lot to expect of our seniors if we tell them that they have sort through the details of insurance claims process. We want to keep it simple for our seniors. Our seniors have given the best years for us. This is a small way of contributing back towards helping our seniors.With my background of 22 years in the corporate world, I could easily get to the details that the insurance companies wanted. The claims department loves us. "It is fun to process your files, it is so simple and all details are there for us to process it. You make our lives easier". Said Blake who is one of the claims processor.

If you or anyone that you know have long term care insurance and wants help getting the claims processed, please give us a call at 626-639-0226. We are a non-medical private duty home care agency located in Pasadena, CA.

Happy Thanksgiving From ComForcare in Pasadena!

 

Happy Thanksgiving From ComForcare!

Please remember to check on your elderly family members.  It's the perfect time to establish a base line on behavior and make sure they are taking care of themselves. If not, please have discussions and don't be afraid to 'say what you see'. Let them know your concerns so that these discussions can continue without hard feelings. Let them know they are loved!

 

If you need answers to elder care questions or need help with home care in Pasadena or the surrounding area, please visit www.HomeCareConsultations.com or call 626-639-0226.

 

Choosing the Right In-Home Care Service For Seniors in Pasadena

Each November, the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) celebrates National Home Care and National Hospice Month to honor the men and women who have dedicated their lives to caring for others. Below are some tips for families who may be looking into home care and what they can and should expect from the caregivers they choose. If you need more information about in home care for your loved one in the Pasadena area, the caring staff at ComForcare can help answer any questions. Visit www.HomeCareConsultations.com or call us at 626-639-0226.

A Guide to Choosing the Right In-Home Care Service and Care Giver for Seniors
By: Kori Irons

What Seniors Can Expect from In-home Care

It can be incredibly difficult for a senior to allow a stranger into his home to help with household tasks, personal care and/or transportation. There is a great deal of confusion and anxiety around what exactly "in-home care" and an "in-home caregiver" might involve and entail--not to mention how to go about hiring and supervising the help. Here are some suggestions for what seniors can expect from in-home care and some advice on how to search for the perfect assistant:

An in-home caregiver can have a variety of qualifications, depending on the depth and intensity of personal care they are able to provide. Some take care of household tasks and hep with errands and transportation, while others have medical credentials and are able to help with more medical details and nursing needs. The most popular services required of in-home caregivers for seniors include:

• assistance with mail and correspondence


• housekeeping


• laundry and ironing


• help with grocery shopping and other errands


• coordinating and reminding about medications 


• cooking and meal planning


• transportation and mobility assistance


• and companionship and other personal assistance needs

Even seniors who may have special needs such as those who are recovering from an accident or illness, or those with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, or those with other more permanent disabilities can benefit from the services of an in-home care provider. A senior may need assistance on a daily or weekly basis, or something in between. It is not necessary to hire a caregiver to be present for every hour of every day if that is not what is needed or required.

Source: Associated Content

"DO YOU THINK I AM OLD?" Seniors allergic to help

It is very interesting observation, seniors are very allergic to the term "HELP". I was recently talking to a friend Dan who was recollecting the conversations he had with his 87 year old mom. She has been diagnosed with Dementia and uses a walker "What do you think I am, old & senile?  I am just fine".

The seniors in their golden comes from a generation where they are self made. They have been extremely self reliant and never accepted help from anyone. True to their credit, they are very proud of their accomplishments and would be the first one to jump up to help anyone in need. To them taking help does not come easily.

I was researching for the upcoming seminar "New Concepts in Living Well". The topics we cover are designed to improve or maintain the lifestyles of the seniors. The inputs we received from many seniors we talked to are very revealing.

1. We do not appreciate being perceived as weak and helpless.


2. We don't need help, just because we are not able to manage ourselves.


3. We like to enjoy the life to the fullest and what can you do to support that?


4. How can you enrich our lives?

I know a 92 year old client who is very excited about the new book he is working on. They always look at what they can do and not how much time is left.

Dignity is very important to them and hence in dealing with seniors we need to keep in mind what  the important attributes are . Seniors still have dreams about what they can do. So in dealing with seniors, it is important to steer away from compassion and kindness. Sounds strange right?  They feel it makes them look weak. Compassion in your heart should be there and should be the platform to do the right thing in a timely basis. However, the communication should be built on the foundation of how we can enrich their lives, about how we can maintain their independence and dignity.

Respect them, they are achievers and they still have a lot more to offer. I am eagerly waiting for my 82 year old client to publish his book.

Alzheimer's Awareness Spotlights Treatment, Prevention in Pasadena CA

Alzheimer's Awareness Month Sheds Spotlight on Treatment, Prevention Efforts

November marks the beginning of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, a reminder that the number of people who will develop the disease is expected to skyrocket over the next few years.

Starting Jan. 1, 79 million baby boomers will turn 65 at a rate of one every eight seconds.

That is more than four million per year, according to a recent op-ed piece in The New York Times. If scientists could delay onset of the disease by five years, via better drugs, the United States could keep much fewer Alzheimer's patients from needing nursing homes, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, and Alzheimer's experts Stanley Prusiner and Ken Dychtwald said in the piece.

Currently, for every penny the National Institutes of Health spends on Alzheimer's research, Americans spend $3.50 caring for individuals with the disease, for a total of $172 billion a year.  At that rate, by 2020, the cumulative total will be $172 billion a year, or $20 trillion by 2050, according to the op-ed titled “The Age of Alzheimer's."

...read more from Mcknights.com


For information about how ComForcare can help your family with home care for a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's Disease in Pasadena and surrounding areas, visit www.HomeCareConsultations.com or call 626-639-0226.

DON'T FORGET OUR UPCOMING FREE SEMINAR!

New Concepts in Living Well

San Gabriel Valley is invited to a FREE Seminar

"New Concepts in Living Well"

November 20th, 2010

Follow this LINK for details

Issues Seniors face in their Golden Years in Pasadena, CA

We are hosting a free seminar that addresses the issues seniors face in their golden years. The seminar is designed to help the seniors deal with some of these issues. This is a free seminar and the location, Lake Avenue Church, offers free parking. The seminar is part of  our community service efforts  to help seniors with their daily living.

New Concepts in Living Well

http://www.homecareconsultations.com

New Concepts in Living Well: A Free Seminar For San Gabriel Valley

 

New Concepts in Living Well

San Gabriel Valley is invited to a FREE Seminar

"New Concepts in Living Well"

November 20th, 2010

Follow this link for details:

New Concepts in Living Well

Visit ComForcare for all of your home care needs in the Pasadena and surrounding areas.

"KNOCK KNOCK "WHO IS THERE?"

"Who is there?" Very Often you here this troubled and unsure voice from other side of the door. I was visiting with an elderly friend recently and she brought up this issue of her friend who is currently getting some home care services from another agency.

"Nancy, my caregiver could not make it today and they sent another caregiver Claudia after about two hours. What is challenging for me is that I have never met Claudia before and I don't know what she looks like. I am in wheel chair myself and I  feel very vulnerable opening the door to a stranger".  Betsy, my friend brought up this conversation to highlight some of the good approaches we have adopted.

In similar situations, always the client is introduced to the new care giver by someone who has met the client before. The difference is our client is meeting with someone they already know. "It makes a huge difference" Betsy insists, "you know you are meeting with someone you know and I feel lot more comfortable opening the doors". Good point.

What we have learned so far is to think from the client's perspective. Seniors in their golden years feels vulnerable in unfamiliar situations. Our promise to our clients is that at no time will they every have to face a stranger at the door who claims to be representing our agency. My biggest benefit has been that I get to meet my client and connect with them. I enjoy their company so much that sometimes Betsy warns me "Sam, you need to get back to your office and run your business". I gently remind her, "Betsy, you ARE my business". Guess what I am enjoying every moment I spend with the seniors. !!

November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month

Friends and Family May Be Best Detectors of Early Alzheimer's Disease

Family members and friends may be better judges of early Alzheimer’s disease than standard memory tests, a new study reports. The results could help doctors diagnose suspected Alzheimer’s at an earlier stage, when treatment may be more effective and families can better prepare for the changes to come.

The study comes from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where researchers developed a two-minute questionnaire that asked close friends and family members if they have noticed problems with memory or judgment. The survey asked “yes” or “no” questions about whether they have noticed such signs in loved ones as:

• Bad financial choices or other problems in judgment;


• Less interest in hobbies and other favorite activities;


• Repeating questions, stories or statements;


• Trouble learning how to use a tool or appliance, such as a television remote control or a microwave oven;


• Forgetting the month or year;


• Difficulty handling complicated financial affairs, such as balancing a checkbook;


• Difficulty remembering appointments; and


• Consistent problems with thinking and memory.

Survey results were then correlated with so-called biomarkers, like brain changes on brain scans or blood tests results, that are generally regarded as of Alzheimer’s. The survey proved more accurate than standard word and memory tests like the mini-mental state exam, which doctors perform in their offices to look for early signs of Alzheimer’s.

...continue reading from alzinfo.org

Alzheimer’s home care counselors at ComForcare are available to talk with you and your family about care needs for your loved one, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. ComForcare is a home care agency providing Alzheimer’s Home Care in Pasadena CA.
 

"Can you take me to my Doctor?" Share a moment with your seniors

There is never enough conversation about this topic.  In my conversation with a doctor recently he explained that the biggest challenge his patients face are transportation and communication. Interestingly these two topics go hand in hand.

Transportation

"My daughter cannot make it and my son is out of town, how do I make it to the doctor's appointment?"  Or very often they just don't know what to do to make sure that they can get around. They are at a stage when it is no longer safe for them to be driving and hence do not have license any longer. Also they need help getting in and out of the car and also to move around. This is not a situation when they could call for cab services. The needs includes lot more than that. "Don't you know I have a problem with the left leg and also I have a bad back?" . Seniors are often worried when they have to plan a trip as to who can hep them with understanding and compassion. With the pace f today's life, family may not have the ability to  take their parents around all the time. While the sandwich generation puts in a lot of effort, many times they themselves are stretched too thin.

Communication

"So how was the doctor visit?" the daughter asked. "It was alright", mom replied. "Did the doctor give any new instructions?" the daughter continued. "Yeah... he said something...... some kind of a test.....  can't remember properly what he said. Yeah he also said to change some medications........ Oh  I forgot reg the next appointment..... I left the card behind....". Doctors tells me that this is the most frustrating part of their work, where the communication is not reaching the family and as a result the health of the elderly suffers.


This is a typical everyday situation with the life of  an elderly. The need of the hour is to offer services that understands the situation and offers solution. What we learned with these experiences, we put that in effect with our services. We offer to drive the elderly for their doctor visits. Our caregivers are trained to take notes regarding doctors recommendations on what needs to be done, when etc. They becomes the eyes and ears for the seniors. The notes are then passed on to the family members. I was discussing the new approach with a Geriatric Care Manager I work with  very closely. "Sam, what you have here is very well developed and has a lot of value for the families". Health Services Director in a retirement community told me "this solves the problem we have been having for several years".

For us Seniors are not part of a forgotten society, they are the reason and the passion for our existence.

New Concepts in Living Well

On November 20th, I will be presenting at a seminar on "New Concepts in Living Well". This seminar will present innovative ideas and useful generation-bridging information to adult family members as they address important family matters around aging and living well. Families who proactively order the affairs of the loved ones and who successfully prioritize their life style choices are better positioned to maximize the quality of home life for their entire family both now and into the future.

The seminar has four components, Fred Sohl will speak on "Legacy Planning",  Sam Gopinathan will speak on "Home Care Services Do's and Don'ts", Bill Hunter will present on Long Term Care Insurance and finally Steve Hamlin will present Cognitive Exercises.

The seminar is co-sponsored by Convalescent Aid Society and Lake Avenue Community Foundation.

Venue          Rose Room,  Lake Avenue Church, Pasadena, CA

Time             10:00 AM  to  11:30 AM

Date              November 20, 2010

This is a free seminar and the location will also provide free parking

Alzheimer's Care: Family Challenges "It is not time yet"

I know several articles have been written and read about this, yet every time we come across a new incident, it has a new twist to it each time.

One of the biggest challenges for Alzheimer's is to convince the caregiver to take help. Nature of the disease is such that the situation is progressively worsening.  progressive and hence you do not observe any visible change on a day to day basis or hour to hour basis. You hear this often " it is not time yet". As the caregivers are living with the loved ones affected by the disease, they often fail to read the situation correctly. In their mind, it is not yet the time to take help.

Driven by a sense of responsibility towards the loved ones and coupled by fact that you are driven from one job to the next without a stop, one fails to see the big picture. The big question is "what should be done?" To start with we have to honor the commitment of the caregivers. They are the true heroes, putting everything else in front of them and putting their own health and interest the last.

Now let us get practical. Does it do anyone any good for the caregiver's health to be affected in the process? Who will take care of the affected one, if something were to happen to the caregiver? Who will take care of the caregiver themselves if their health was affected? Now you have two problems to take care of not just one?

However, try telling all these to the caregiver and you would often hear them reply "true, but I don't think I am there yet".  Well are you sure? Will your physician agree with your assessment? I have dealt with a lot of family members where they are in this no win situation trying to convince their parents to bring in help. Here are some useful suggestions.

Talk to Caregiver's Physicians

Given the wonderful world of HIPPA, the physician may not be able to tell you anything. However, you can be a reporter to the physician. You can tell them what is going on with your dad or mom. The more you can tell them the better. Very often your parents are more likely to listen to their physician than you. Your report to the physician would help them give better advise to your parents. Many times they are not informed fully of the situation.

Change the Game

Do not use the word "help". Given the generation they come from they are very allergic to that term, when it comes to helping themselves. They are very often the first to jump to help someone, yet they would put all excuses and resistance when it comes to taking help. Rather than using the term "help", take the loved ones and subscribe them for day care centers or programs. Arrange ride for them to be taken to the program and back. Make sure the family care giver does not tag along. This is the time the caregiver gets a break.

Create social events. invite friends of your loved ones for lunch and once again arrange for ride to the place and back. The ride actually should be caregiver from a responsible agency. The caregiver from the agency can come pick up your loved ones for the program and bring them back. Similarly get creative to take the loved one away from the family care giver as much as possible. This gives them the opportunity to get much needed rest and recharge their batteries.

Support Groups

Send your family caregiver to as many support group session as possible. Hearing from similar families are much different from hearing from you.

These are just few of the suggestions. You have to be creative and keep trying.